照る月を雲な隠しそ島蔭に
我が舟泊てむ泊り知らずも
我が舟泊てむ泊り知らずも
- Roma-ji
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Teru tsuki o kumo na kakushi so shimakage ni waga fune hatemu tomari shirazu mo
- English Translation
-
The shining moon—
O clouds, I pray, do not hide it;
in the island's lee
I would bring my boat to rest,
but I know not where to moor.
- Meaning
- Clouds, please do not hide the shining moon. I want to moor my boat in the shelter of an island, but I cannot tell where to anchor.
- Commentary
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Book Nine Miscellaneous Poems 1719
Headnote: "A poem by Kasuga no Kura"
On a night voyage, unsure where to moor in the lee of an island, the speaker begs the clouds not to hide the shining moon. Anxiety on the dark sea and reliance on the moonlight both come through.
A left note records that one text attributes the poem to Shōben, and explains the editorial policy: some entries give only a clan name without a personal name, others a name without a clan, but they are entered as the old records have them, and the same practice is followed below. Poem 1732 of this book has the same lower verse, "I would bring my boat to rest, but I know not where to moor."
The author, Kasuga no Kurabito Oyu, was originally a monk called Benki and returned to lay life by court order in the first year of Taihō (701).
The first line, "the shining moon," is the moon lighting the night sea.
The second line, "O clouds, I pray, do not hide it," uses the prohibitive na ... so, and the poem pauses here.
The third line, "in the island's lee," refers to a spot sheltered from wind and waves.
The fourth line, "I would bring my boat to rest," repeats hatsu, "to moor," after "has it come to anchor now?" in the preceding poem, 1718.
The final line, "but I know not where to moor," gives at the end the reason for the plea. The lower verse is identical to that of 1732.
- Author
- Kasuga no Kurabito Oyu
- Source
- Manyoshu
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